Sabbath Sunday

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I got a brief start on the books, but not near enough. But after 2 hours I went outside to play with from dA1.5 downstairs. All four adults and a 18 month old, kicking balls back and forth. As we suspected, they've bought a house and will move by the middle of summer.

His job has switched to permanently work from home. He works for one of those high tech firms with amazing snacks, foozeball tables and a gazillion perks to make up for longer hours. That's all gone and they needed more room because the work from home with an 18 month old (and both parents trying to program) wasn't working.

The house needs new paint and carpets at a minimum and they expect to get that done in 9 weeks. I pointed out they may have to do the work themselves because of delays with workers not able to work as fast as before. It isn't as if a painting crew can just move in and do the house in a day. All construction is way behind at this point. Home Depot isn't accepting installs because they have more than they can handle and the factories had to shut down for a lot of non-essentials (like fancy sinks) so things aren't available to buy.

Carpet normally has a multi-week wait so this will be interesting since they can't even measure until June 11.

Not my problem though. DnA is at least getting out more and visiting with her grandmother (who stays on the deck while DnA plays in the yard.)

After that, we went out for a takeout dinner then did the groceries. Then practiced music again and here are at bedtime and I still have 95% of the work to do. I may shift it to Wednesday since I'm singing tomorrow afternoon (and have to practice in the morning.)

[Lynlee]

I had a nice Sunday. really reconnected with family after too much time apart. Plans for more time together.

I'm glad Dee arrived safe and sound.

Mourning with all those who have lost there loved ones, here in this village, and those beyond seems apt to me Kathryn. The fact of needed gatherings not allowed , of people held to a distance when being with loved ones at the time of loved ones passing, there is mourning for those lost times too.
I am hopeful enough people will rethink life's priorities for meaningful change to happen.
I know, some may already live that type of life, and all could learn from them.

On prayers after death, The buddist's have I think it is 47 days of prayers for the deceased, that they will be well placed in the next life. My paraphrase so I may have it wrongly represented.
One take on the catholic purgatory thing is it is time to cleanse the soul.
In my rcia class I put bot those together, as time for the soul to recover from the rigours of end of life.
Dementia or shock at some fatal accident or illness, I think would take a little space to reset to true ageless soul.
Fr added that some thought for some their life on earth was a type of h hockey sticks.
So there is more 'beyond our present knowing' food for thought.

I was pleased to read of Mr Harmony being recovered enough that a good day of mowing was possible.

One thing we have here that is useful for men (and their wives) is Men's Sheds. It started with one and became a thing in most?/many communities nationwide. They teach each other skills, and there is a real mental health benefit. I heard of one starting with new proticols/conditions to reopen as restrictions ease. .
Retired men and the disadvantaged are able to join together there. Some help construct things as service projects. Google it and maybe point someone towards that idea.
BTW - I know of one woman who chased up on the idea of Woman's shed time, to learn diy skills.

I am seeing dd again tomorrow. I'm not sure my wheelchair pushing muscles will be up to 'tooo much'.
I haven't been to that shopping center since things locked tightly down, and even then, my visit was curtailed when I found there were big packs of tp on sale, then exploring the center widely was beyond me.
lol.
I'll soon need to open that pack, and the shortage is over now. The not knowing was part of that run.
There was a guy who bought a reported $10,000 of tp, who became stuck with it. He wanted to return it and that was a 'no'. I think advertising it on a website was vetoed too.
Why would you? Greed and wanting to take advantage of others, I'd like that not to be part of the coming new normal.

Washing first load is ready to go out I think.
Another lot ready to go on. Then clothing will be done. It will need in and away, obviously. I say to me.
Other plans for today, change sheets.
Catch up some more in the kitchen.

[lucylee]

Hello to all...

Definitely agree with the idea that we ARE in a sort of mourning for our old normal lives, and here in our little SHE-village, such great losses have been experienced during this quarantine time, making everything so much more difficult. I have had Harriet's dd and family on my mind constantly since she posted the news and I wonder what sort of restrictions they will face on funeral planning and all that they will be needing and wanting to do in the days ahead.

Like Rose, I am (I think) an optimist, for the most part, at least, and the quarantine has not affected me that much personally... and I have enjoyed not needing to be anywhere or do anything much. I've read more too, and I like the slower pace (pity it couldn't have happened during football season! LOL) -- but...
but I do mourn for the life ds had and enjoyed so much in the music business... and I just wonder when this will ever be back like it used to be. Bluegrass musicians make their living by large festivals, and very few individual bands can go out and sell out huge arenas like George Strait or Cher or someone in other genres of music. They flourish in the festivals that feature dozens of bands, and otherwise play smaller venues. They also are unlikely to have a huge following on streaming services, I think. The majority of their music sales are face-to-face at tables lined up at the festivals. They need that personal connection to their fan base, and with festivals cancelling, bands cancelling on festivals, and fans just generally afraid to go out and get into crowds... I just don't know what the future holds for him.
I am sooo thankful he does have a regular job right now and that ddil is now approaching six months till her graduation with an RN! But no matter what kind of salary she can bring in, ds is going to have a hard time finding real happiness and satisfaction for himself in any work away from music.

But tonight, dh and I went out and ate INSIDE a real restaurant, had a delicious steak and salad, and it was wonderful. Everyone was spread out at least 6' apart, and all the servers were wearing masks. They used cloth napkins and real silverware/china, but I noticed the old menus were gone and paper ones (likely disposable) replaced them.
We watched church service online this morning, and did our normal Wmart Sunday routine and all my weekly tasks are done except for refilling the humidifier. That has to be done approx. every 4-5 days. DH thinks it helps our allergies to run it at night in our bedroom, and it definitely helps cut down on static electricity in the winter months, but now we run it basically year-round.

The big excitement around here, which will color all our activity this coming week, was last night. At ddil's & my request, we ate at Chick-fil-a... drive thru... which was crowded, as usual.
As we were sitting there waiting to pay, we noticed the car in front of us started moving forward, and we all had time to say, "He's going to hit that car! Why is he moving...?" And then BAM ... he did hit her.
Immediately upon realizing what he had done, and before the other driver could react or get out of her car and check the damage... here he comes BACKING UP!!!!
DH started blowing his horn, started to back up himself, we told him there was a car right behind US, dh started SCREAMING out his window (all three cars had their driver's windows down because we were right there at the pay-person) and still... here he comes... BAM ... right into our bumper with his trailer hitch. It was like watching bumper cars...
Oh. My. Goodness.
DH was sooo furious... because he had been blaring out the horn and screaming out the window, and this man paid no attention whatsoever.
Oh. My. Goodness. DH jumped out of the car, checked our damage, went up to the guy's window and was yelling at him (I am not proud of this part of the story) and -- the guy told dh "You're going to have trouble!" (hmmmm... we sorta already did, didn't we?)
The CFA people told us to pull over to the side and wait for the police to come make a report, so their line could continue... and we did. The first lady he hit sorta blocked him in, fearing he would try to leave, and the police did come and made out a report, which we can get Tuesday. The officer told us just to tell our insurance company, that we were not at fault, and to give them the case # and everything would be taken care of... but dh is soooo upset about this.
We stood outside our cars and talked with the other lady and her husband, who arrived on the scene after she called to tell him what had happened, but the bumper car driver, who had talked so big during his & dh's confrontation, never got out of his car. Never checked his damage, or either of ours, never offered insurance info, nothing. sigh.
The bumper car driver has insurance, but not with any major company that we have ever heard of, and dh said since our damage is on the front of our car, it could be made to look like we hit this guy... but there were plenty of witnesses. It's just a mess. DH was just a wreck the rest of the night and he has felt miserable all day today. His nerves just can't take stuff like this anymore. He complains with chest pains, but his bp is normal or even lower than normal, and I told him, I think he has panic attacks when he gets stressed like this and he just thinks it's his heart.
So. The coming week will be filled with trips to the insurance office and the body shop and getting dmom's truck, etc... etc...

I know in the scheme of things, this is nothing, and even dh said, "At least no one was hurt." But he doesn't even LIKE CFA, so I bet it's a long while till we go there again, unless I'm the one driving!

Harmony, that is wonderful that Mr. Harmony was able to mow the neighbor's yard!

Sorry about your ring damage, Rose! Hope it's a quick fix.

I want to read the wikipedia article about the Jewish mourning periods. I think that sounds wise (not skipping bathing, but the rest of it.) Thinking of my dmom -- she definitely needed a 12-month period of time to adjust, maybe more. In antebellum times, Southern widows wore black for at least a year, didn't they? I think that signaled to others to respect their (possibly?) more fragile state of mind? I haven't read Twins' link yet -- I'm just thinking that may be a logical purpose to a longer period of grieving and not expecting people to bounce back and act "normal" so quickly after a loss.

We may look older to you, but to each other, we’re still in Junior High School

I love that, Rose! Yes -- happy birthday, again, Dee! May the year ahead be filled with many, many happy days!